Hormone Therapy

The prostate gland is uniquely male. Its very existence is due to the presence of male hormones, which the prostate, and most prostate cancers require to grow. This observation led urologists to the use of hormone reduction to treat prostate cancer in the 1940s and except for newer drugs, the principle of hormone reduction still stand today. The usual way of effecting hormone reduction are either a monthly shot (Lupron or Zolodex) or surgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy). Pills may be added to either of these treatments to potentate hormone reduction.

Unfortunately, hormone therapy is effective only temporarily in most patients. Apparently, 7-9 out of 10 men will have an initial reduction in the tumor, but within 2-3 years most men that do respond will no longer and the cancer will again grow. Because hormone therapy is not curative, we usually do not recommend this for localized cancer for patients with reasonable life expectancies.